Megan Whisner Quinlan: July 2021 StencilClub Stencils

Once I saw this month's StencilClub stencil set, I knew I wanted to create something that harkened to a vintage travel diary and sari fabric. The 4x4 elephant stencil had my mind racing with all the potential ways to use it. Follow along as I show you how to create this quick easy spread.

I decided to use my Dylusions Creative Journal and ink sprays since they are designed to work well together. I picked two side by side pages and chose one to spray with water and ink sprays. Once covered, I closed the pages together to transfer the color to the corresponding page. I used paper towels to mop up the excess. I allowed the pages to dry completely before next step. 

I then sprayed my stencil with water and placed it face down on the page. After peeling it back up again, I waited a few seconds-when the water is allowed to sit, it is removing some of the ink to create your pattern.  Next, I mopped up the excess water from the page. This will allow your ghosted image to appear. 

I then took the medium stencil and sprayed through the stencil in a liner way across my pages. Here I chose Pomegranate ink, but really, any contrasting warm color will do. 

I then traced the elephant stencil onto some Tim Holtz vintage papers and cut out 4 elephants in opposite directions. 

Lastly, I tore some old book pages and glued some strips along my design. As a finial step, I added some doodles to my page to flesh out the design and put my "stamp" on it. 

Join StencilClub by July 15 to receive these three exclusive stencils and accompanying video tutorial with PDF, and 20% OFF STENCILS EVERY DAY!!

Hello! My name is Megan Whisner Quinlan. I have been art journaling and book binding for about 20 years. However, I took a 10 year break from paper arts when I had my first 2 children. About 5 years ago, I came back into journaling after some big life changes, including 2 more children. Journaling had always been a part of my life, especially to work things out in life on paper. When I first started out, I really only focused on making books by hand and some basic collage and stamping. I was intimidated by the amazing art journaling artists out there who could create elaborate, mixed media spreads.  When I came back to journaling after such a long break, I decided that I was going to really push myself to learn all the techniques I had been too afraid to try.  Painting and drawing have really allowed me to find so much joy in my creative process, and I now almost exclusively create mixed media every day. I feel excited to have joined the art journaling community and you can find me on Instagram @Megan_Whisner_Quinlan or on Youtube: Megan Whisner Quinlan.

Megan Whisner Quinlan: May 2021 StencilClub Stencils

Although I have been doing mixed media for a very long time, I've never really made my own collage papers. There have always been enticing patterned papers all around and it never really occurred to me to spend some time making some of my own. It was only recently that I have been focusing on making things ahead of time and breaking up my working process, that I have discovered the joys of making my own papers. This is a great project for when you might be in a rut, but still feel the urge to be creative. It requires little thinking, and is an almost meditative method to build your art menagerie. Follow along to see how fun and easy it is to create these bright pages. 

To get started, I scrounged around my studio for papers that I didn't really love or were experiments of one technique or another. 

I chose a neon pink to use as the base color to stencil with this month's StencilClub stencil set by Mary Beth Shaw and Debi Adams onto all the pages. 

Once I got the first layer on, I trimmed everything down to about a 4"x6" size sheet to make it easy to store for future use. 

I then took another stencil from this month's StencilClub stencil set and added more layers with neon orange paint to add more texture. 

I then took some black gesso and made large painterly circles, although any pattern will do. I made sure to leave lots of brush marks and keep the design open so as to expose good portions of the printed layers beneath. 

Next I added the smallest stencil on to portions of the bold black swaths of paint with a bright white. I kept it random so as to leave some room for more texture. 

Lastly, and my most favorite part, I added doodles and marks to the pages with paint pens in coordinating colors. This is my favorite part because each rectangle can look so different from the next. When you are done you will have pages ready to be used as pages, cut into shapes, or torn up and used in your mixed media project.

Join StencilClub by May 15 to receive these three exclusive stencils and accompanying video tutorial with PDF, and 20% OFF STENCILS EVERY DAY!!

Hello! My name is Megan Whisner Quinlan. I have been art journaling and book binding for about 20 years. However, I took a 10 year break from paper arts when I had my first 2 children. About 5 years ago, I came back into journaling after some big life changes, including 2 more children. Journaling had always been a part of my life, especially to work things out in life on paper. When I first started out, I really only focused on making books by hand and some basic collage and stamping. I was intimidated by the amazing art journaling artists out there who could create elaborate, mixed media spreads.  When I came back to journaling after such a long break, I decided that I was going to really push myself to learn all the techniques I had been too afraid to try.  Painting and drawing have really allowed me to find so much joy in my creative process, and I now almost exclusively create mixed media every day. I feel excited to have joined the art journaling community and you can find me on Instagram @Megan_Whisner_Quinlan or on Youtube: Megan Whisner Quinlan.

Megan Whisner Quinlan: March 2021 StencilClub Stencils

When I was a teenager, I was of that John Huges-Bratt Pack generation. I loved Molly Ringwald, and every single movie she made. My favorite by far was Pretty in Pink. I went through a phase where I watched that movie every day. One scene in particular, when Molly Ringwald visits her friend in Chinatown, made such an impression on me. The vibrant colors on their clothes, the paint on the buildings contrasted with black and white...it all spoke to me. I genuinely think that scene has a place on my art timeline. So much of it informs what I am drawn to now.

When I saw this month's StencilClub stencil set (designed by Mary Beth Shaw & Mary C. Nasser), I was reminded of beautiful Chinese characters and I went in a graffiti direction for this page. Eventually I realized where my theme was going, it would all be perfect for the scene from the movie. 

Follow along for details on how to create a fun journal spread using the new StencilClub stencil set!

I first stamped the face from the Dina Wakley (I Want) stamp set onto some white cardstock. I loosely drew a bob style hair cut around the face emulating Molly Ringwald's hair style in the movie. 

I stamped some newsprint pages with a old Hero Arts stamp (Chinese Wordpaper Newsprint) to make my own newspaper pages. I tore them and glued them around a gessoed page to begin a foundation for the page. 

I stenciled all around my pages in black acrylic paint and allowed it to dry. Then I lightly painted over them with White and Cheddar Dina Wakley acrylic paints to tone down the boldness. I work this way over and over, dark then light, to build up my layers. 

I love to use Dina Wakley acrylic sprays on these spreads (Turquoise and White) to really add extra drips and texture. 

Join StencilClub by March 15 to receive these three exclusive stencils and accompanying video tutorial with PDF, and 20% OFF STENCILS EVERY DAY!!

Hello! My name is Megan Whisner Quinlan. I have been art journaling and book binding for about 20 years. However, I took a 10 year break from paper arts when I had my first 2 children. About 5 years ago, I came back into journaling after some big life changes, including 2 more children. Journaling had always been a part of my life, especially to work things out in life on paper. When I first started out, I really only focused on making books by hand and some basic collage and stamping. I was intimidated by the amazing art journaling artists out there who could create elaborate, mixed media spreads.  When I came back to journaling after such a long break, I decided that I was going to really push myself to learn all the techniques I had been too afraid to try.  Painting and drawing have really allowed me to find so much joy in my creative process, and I now almost exclusively create mixed media every day. I feel excited to have joined the art journaling community and you can find me on Instagram @Megan_Whisner_Quinlan or on Youtube: Megan Whisner Quinlan.

StencilClub Mash-up: Mary Beth Shaw and Carolyn Dube!

Transparent Parts & Gelli Sandwiches are in store for StencilClub members in August!

Look at the good times Carolyn and Mary Beth had earlier this year preparing their tips and techniques:

Mary Beth and Caroyln took their fave of each other's stencils and sized them down or created new riffs on previous designs so members will get a small Wonkey Eye Mask, six fantastic borders, Picasso's Words, and two wonderful abstract squares and rectangles to enhance their art.

Here to tell you all about it:

You need to sign up by the 15th of August 2019 if you want this set shipped to you!